For Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) reporting, you need to know this information. ‍

How do you get that data? You can ask your suppliers, rely on the resin code marking, you can ask your packaging team, or you can use technology to help identify the material.

‍In my latest article, I look at how near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR) can provide a reliable way to identify plastic polymers for EPR reporting.

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SB 54 represents one of the most significant packaging policy shifts in the U.S., with direct implications for packaging design, cost, supply chains, and compliance exposure. While legal challenges and implementation complexity remain, companies should expect California’s EPR framework to continue advancing and materially reshape packaging economics. Forward-looking companies are already assessing their packaging portfolios, modeling financial and compliance impacts, and developing multi-year strategies to reduce EPR costs at the source.

As Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws gain a tentative foothold in the United States, the fragile ecosystem risks derailment as it faces its first major legal hurdle in Oregon.